Le Fantôme Du Visage
by Phantom Novelest
Summary: a story of love, pain, and music. forget all you know of the Phantom, for this is the true story. faint of heart and those prone to nightmares, do not read.  O  O  i do not own phantom of the opera bla bla why do i have to put that on FANFICTION?
1. Prolog

Prolog. Narrator speaks.

Her name was Christine Daeé. She had blond hair and blue eyes like the sun and sky. When she was seven years old, her mother died, a few years later her father.

Before he passed away, her father told Christine that he would send her an angel from heaven. An angel of music.

Christine went to live with her Aunt Giry and her redheaded cousin Meg.

Madam Giry was a box keeper at the Palais Garnier, and around the time Christine came, she started needing to spend more and more time at work, and when she couldn't find anyone to take any one to watch over them, she would bring Meg and Christine to work with her. It was one of these times that Christine's life was changed forever.

It was October ninth, Giry had stayed late to clean up a few opera boxes, and Christen, now sixteen, had wandered up on stage, and pretending she was in front of an entire house of people, and sang an old lullaby she remembered from when she was young.

She sounded almost like a group of angels, and her voice echoed through the building, and all through the dark catacombs underneath.

When she finished, singing, she curtsied and was about to run off stage, but was stopped by an unearthly voice.

"You sing almost perfect." The voice said. "Only a few mistakes about your pitch."

"Thanks, I never really had lessons." Christine said and looked around for the man who was speaking to her. "Where are you? Who are you?"

"I am everywhere and yet nowhere at all. I am the echo in this room, and the owner of it as well."

"Are you the Angel of Music my father promised to send to me?"

"If I am, will you let me teach you to sing like an angel?"

"Yes."

"Then I am The Angel of Music."

And so the story begins.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1. Madam Giry of box five.

The new manager was a smock. His name was Michael Fray. He was forty-four and spent all his time grooming his English mustache and counting his money. He had no concern for opera at all, and instead just let his wife Carlota run the place while he became rich.

Carlota was a brown haired strait out bitch. All she cared about was being the star. She planned to have the opera season in spring and fall, and for her to be the star in all the shows. The worst part was she couldn't sing.

And when I told them about the opera ghost, they lathed at every word

"A private box out of the house's salary and four-hundred francs for a thing that doesn't even exist in real life?" Mr. Fray said to me. "Ridiculous! Why did they do such a thing? It's a good thing I came along when I did, being advanced in the ways of money and all."

"But sir if we don't all sorts of horrid things happen!" I said. "Last time the opera didn't follow the phantom's commands, a singer and a stage hand were found dead in the front row!"

"And when was this?"

"About ten years ago."

"Well that is enough insurance to me that it won't happen again."

"But, sir, ever since then we have followed the phantom's orders."

"Just leave and go back to work."

As he spoke those last words, there was a scream, and we ran to the stage and saw Carlota in a rage, and about two feet in front of her, swaying back and forward slightly, a sandbag.

"Those useless stage hands nearly killed me!"

"Sorry mam!" The stage hand, Joseph, said. "I looked away and it must have not been secure!"

"We are not done with this!" Mr. Fray said, then turned to his wife and said. "Are you alight my angel?"

"No I am not!" She shouted. "Until that man is gone, I will no longer sing, and this place will go to ruins!"

Mr. Fray was about to speak, but she just turned and left without another word.

"Oh dear. Now who's going sing the lead part?"

"Christine could." I said. "She's been taking lessons."

He turned to Christine who had been standing by the curtain ropes and said. "From who?"

"Um, I don't know his name." She said.

"Sing."

"Now?"

"Yes now!"

She took a deep breath and began to a song from Madame Butterfly and I almost wept.

"You've got the part." Mr. Fray said as she finished.

A month later, the show was about to start and the fool had sold box five to someone. A man, his wife and his brother. They were in there only thirty-two minutes and they ran out to continue an argument.

I walked into the box and said. "Eric, what did you do?"

"Why didn't they save my box?" the voice, said, though I could not see him.

"The manager don't believe in ghost, now Eric what did you do?"

"Ask the brother and the wife what they did, I just pointed it out. Now as for the new managers, it's been a month and he still doesn't believe? What a pity his life must come to a tragic end."

I just sighed, knowing that unless the managers believed in ghost all of a sudden, there was no way to stop this, and I sat down in a chair and took a sip from the drink the man had left behind.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Raoul's meeting with Christine. Christine's meeting with the phantom.

Redheaded Raoul had come to the opera for a show, and found his childhood sweetheart instead.

The moment the show was over; he grabbed a rose from a bouquet of flowers and ran to Christine's dressing room.

Christine was just opening the door when Raoul walked up and said. "Christine Daeé, the opera diva."

Christine smiled then turned around and said. "Raoul!"

They hugged then Raoul gave her the rose and said. "You sang beautifully."

"Aw shucks." She said blushing. "I had an amazing teacher."

"Who is this fine voice trainer? I would like him to teach my sister that's her wailing isn't music."

"Raoul, do you remember how my father said he would send me the angel of music? Well he did! The angel is my teacher!"

"Well it must be if he could get a voice that beautiful to come out of a mortal being. And now we must celebrate! I'll bring my coach around front right now if you will just wait here."

"No Raoul…" But before she could finish he was off.

Christine sighed and stepped inside her room and sat in front of her dresser and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as she washed her makeup off with a towel, then put on her favorite pink dress.

Then suddenly, a wind blew through the room, blowing out all the candles on the chandelier though the window was closed.

"Angel, are you there?" Christine said.

"You sang amazingly." The voice said. "What a shame it wasn't a full house. I hear that it will be next time you preform."

"Oh but Carlota won't permit it. She demands it all be done her way or no way at all."

"Oh but she will, if she knows what's good for her. I have my ways, my dear Christine."

Just then, Raoul walked up to the door and knocked and said. "Christine are you ready?"

Christine stood up and said. "I must go. My friend wants to celebrate my voice."

"But Christine, it is late; you shouldn't go out, besides he's probably just going to take you to some place that is classy on one side with a smoky pub on the other."

Christine nodded then opened the door slightly and said. "Raoul, I'm not feeling well, I don't think I should go out."

He put his hand on her head and said. "You do feel a bit warm. Should I take you home?"

"No, I'm alright, my cousin Meg will take me home. I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded and said goodbye then left.

Christine closed the door and turned around, and said. "He's gone."

"Christine my dear," He said. "I trust you'll find that it was a smart choice you made."

Christine sighed and said. "Why won't you show yourself to me?"

"You must go home and rest; we have lessons tomorrow, elven-thirty sharp."

Christine gave a nod then said goodnight and left, the remembered she had left her purse in the room, and quickly walked back in, not seeing her Angel of Music anywhere in the room.

The next day.

As Christine stepped into her dressing room, a chill went up her spine. Something was different about the room, something that seemed out of place.

Christine paid no attention to it, and stepped in front of her mirror then closed her eyes.

"Angel," She said. "I'm here."

"My dear Christine." He said, and Christine opened her eyes to see a mask, a blank mask that only showed his mouth, chin and eyes, a mask that hid a sad story.

"Angel."

He reached out his hand and brought her threw the mirror, guiding her threw a winding maze of passage ways and stair cases, to a large cave lake, where he helped her climb into a gondola, then he took the oar and rowed them across, while a strange golden light lit the entire cave.

The river streamed through a series of hallways, with sconces lit with snow white candles lining the wall one after the other, ending at a large gate, which lifted up as he pulled a lever beside it, and brought the boat into a clear lagoon, where a large chandelier hung from the ceiling above to light the unnerving room.

He brought the boat to the shore and stepped out, then gave her his hand for her to climb out after.

Christine took his hand and was filled with a strange sensation, somewhat like fear, somewhat like pleasure.

He gently pulled her to a large grand piano with a lit candle on closed lid.

He sat down on the stool and said. "You already sing with joy and grace, my Christine, but now they will be expecting more of you. They will be demanding you sing with more emotion, more passion for the music, to a point where if it's a tragedy you will be holding back tears, or laughter if it's a comedy."

"Yes master." Christine replied.

He began to play the piano and said. "Der Vampyr Emmy reciting the legend of the vampire."

Christine nodded and began to sing, but soon her thoughts started to drift off to Raoul.

The pianist stopped playing and looked at Christine annoyed and said. "Would you rather go back and think about whatever the bloody hell is keeping you from singing right and never preform again? Or shall we continue the lesson?"

"Forgive me Master." Christine said and began to sing again as he continued playing the piano.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. The tragedy of Joseph Bouquet and an even more tragic heart break.

I tried to warn them, but they wouldn't listen. The occasional sandbag being kicked over the edge of the catwalk hitting that Wrench in the face wasn't enough to scare them. I should have used a bag of sharp rocks instead.

It has been 7 months since that January night when Christine led the opera to success, and she, the best singer in the cast, had been moved, to ballet, which she had little experience in, and the Wrench sang at the operas they had, and all this had caused the place to lose money and refund tickets, and reduce the small pay(witch I recently have had to steal from the safe in the manager's office) just so Christine could be paid.

Christine. Oh that wonderful name. That beautiful woman. I would do anything for her. I would steal the moon from the sky so she could toss it in the air like a ball. I would go to Africa just to get her a lion cub to raise as a house cat if she wanted. I loved her more than I love the music I live by.

I know little about love, only things from fiction, but I know it is love that I feel for Christine. There were so many times I wanted to take her, but I held myself back, so not to hurt her like I was hurt many years ago.

But that is another matter completely.

The night the opera house preformed Macbeth was the night I made sure they knew I was real.

Again the fools didn't save my box, so from my secret entrance I let loose a box of rats, and they sent the group of elderly women out in a panic, causing the entire opera house was soundless.

After a moment the actors on stage were signaled to continue, and so they did.

Carlota sang to the point where it hurt my ears hurt, so I raced to the back stage and when no one was looking my direction; I traded her glass of lemon juice for a special mixture of my own.

As I got to the end, I heard footsteps behind me, so I turned and went up the stairs to the platforms above where the stage hands worked, and the footsteps followed. The poor fool. And no other stage hands were up there.

I stepped to the other side of the catwalk, turned around and saw him. The stage hand Joseph Bouquet. Soon to be late stage hand Joseph Bouquet.

He saw my mask and turned to run, but I went to the other platform and raced to the other end, and then followed the scared fool to the other side.

There he raced to the other stares, but I caught him in a rope and tied it in a special knot I learned during a trip to Punjab. The poor fool was dead.

Then as the signal for the curtain to go up came, I did the job for him, and as Carlota began to sing, her voice croaked, and she put her hand to her head and fell, not dead, but asleep.

I smiled as everyone gasped and ran to her aid, and to make it worst, I dropped the body over the edge and shouted. "The Phantom shall not be ignored!"

As they looked around to find me, I took my secret passage way to the roof to calm myself, but found myself anything but calm.

Christine was there, and there was that fool Raoul with her.

"But Christine there is no angel or phantom of anything of that matter!" The Fool said.

"But Raoul," Christine replied. "I've seen him! I know where he lives and over the years he has taught me to sing! And he's gone mad! Raoul I'm scared!"

The Fool put his hands on her shoulders and said. "Christine, I won't let anyone harm you. I love you."

Christine wiped her tears away and did the unthinkable, she kissed the Fool. Kissed him!

I felt my heart shatter in pieces, I took a rose I was planning on giving her out of my pocket and stared at it, and when they left, I picked the petals off and threw the stem over the edge, hitting some man below.

I fell to my knees and felt my mask, then screamed her name at the top of my lungs. My Christine couldn't love me even if it weren't for the Fool.

No one could ever love poor Eric.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Masquerade.

Carlota was taken to the hospital, the police examined the dead body, and Raoul walked hand in hand with Christine, taking her home for the night.

Eric was heartbroken. He smashed everything in his catacomb home and sat down at his closed piano and fell asleep.

A few months later.

The manager, mostly out of fear, left the opera box 5 unrented and left the money in there as well, and also moved Christine back in to acting, but Carlota still didn't believe. If only she did…

There was a Masquerade ball thrown yearly, and this year nothing had changed.

Christine and Raoul came as a couple, Christine dressed in all pink and Raoul in all blue. They danced in the crowd and kissed as the music became louder.

Suddenly the entire place went silent, for on top of the stairs, was a tall man dressed in red suit, with a white skeleton mask and a feathery red hat.

"I am Red Death!" The man shouted. "I am also, the Angel of Music, the thing that isn't real, and the Phantom of the Opera!"

Christine covered her mouth in horror.

"I seek the girl named Christine Daeé. I taught her to sing, I made Carlota quit so Christine could have the part, I let loose the rats in the opera box, I poisoned the wrench and I murdered the stage hand all for her! And I shall not stop these deeds till Christine is in my takes! I have written an opera and it's name is _Don Juan Triumphant_ you shall find the finished manuscript in the manager's office, and i demand it be performed with the same casting as listed with in!

Christine turned to leave but he floor under her disappeared and she fell into a dark room.

Raoul tried to follow but the floor closed up, then he tried to confront the Phantom but he was gone as well.

Christine stood at the top of a spiral stare case, not wanted to stay where she was, Christine began to walk down the steps, and heard music, sweet seductive music, that grew louder and more passionate the farther down she went.

At the end of the steps, she found herself stepping out of the tunnel of stairs into Eric's layer.

Christine looked over at the wall, and saw a large musical organ in the wall, and the masked Eric sitting in front, playing.

"Welcome home Christine" He said, not even looking up from his music. "Don't say otherwise, for this is your home now."

Christine walked to him and said. "Who are you really? You are no angel, at least none my father sent me."

"I have no name, my mother wouldn't give me one, but you may call me Eric."

"Why?"

"I just stumbled upon the name in a book years back, it had a nice ring to it you could say, so I kept it."

"I mean why wouldn't your mother name you?"

"The same reason I wear a mask."

Christine could only imagine what was under that mask, and not able to bare the question any longer, she felt the edge of it, and tore it off.

Christine screamed in horror at the site of the face underneath, if you could call it a face. It was something from a child's nightmares; a horrific mash of flesh with skin that seemed like the wrinkle skin of a shaved rat, with a flattened snout that's small lift above the rest of the face didn't end till the middle of his fore head. A frightening sight.

Eric hid his face with his hands and pushed her back and stormed to the nearest wall and said. "You little viper! You ruined everything! Now I can never let you leave!"

Christine looked away and said. "My lord…"

"If there is a god then curse him for causing this!" Eric shouted and turned to her, and then he walked to her and took her hand and dug her fingers into the flesh of his skin then said. "This is no mask, my dear Christine, this is the face I was born with, a face that caused me a lifetime of pain. A horrible lifetime of pain…"


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Prone to tragedy.

"Let this one be the devil!" My father said when he found out he was to have a third child. And as they say, bad things happen in threes.

The moment I was born, the nurse helping my mother screamed and handed me to her then ran away in horror.

My mother dropped me in her lap and I began to cry louder, I knew I wasn't loved.

4 years past, and my mother still hadn't named me, my father was always at work and demanded I stayed in my room when he was home, and my two older sisters, Constance and Maple, were like my parents to me.

Constance, at the time twelve, gave me her old stuffed animals and things as toys she didn't play with any more and taught me to read and write and do math, and Maple, only seven, taught me about music and tying knots in string and rope and even how to sew fabrics into clothing, this was where my 1st mask came from. A stitched-up bag that I would put on over my head.

The mask had made life better for me. My father allowed me to be out of my room when he was home, I was allowed to eat dinner with the rest of my family when I invented a mask that showed my mouth without the rest of my face, and if I stayed in my own yard, I was allowed to go outside. But it also caused problems, for I would have to make a new one every time my old mask got worn, and my mother would have to buy more cloth for me, and if that weren't enough, I hated wearing it! It was irritating to an extreme! For days I would stay in my room just so I wouldn't have to wear it and when I took it off, my face would be red as a ruby! But I would have to wear a mask for the rest of my life so I put up with it.

But one night, when I was ten, as we sat together at dinner table, my mask irritating me to the point of tears, I took the end in my small hands and tore it off and covered my face with my arms.

My father quickly got out of his seat and took me by my arms and pulled me in front to f the mirror.

"Do you see what you are?" He said. As I tried to cover my face, he held my head in place and said. "Do you see what horror you are?"

With tears in my eyes, I screamed and smashed the mirror with my hands, blood and glass pouring on the floor.

Although the doctor fixed my wounds, it left scars for the rest of my life. On my hands, and in my mind.

The next day, Maple found mother and father hanging by nooses in their bedroom.

My sisters and I were sent to work for the shah of Persia, my sisters were sent to work and I didn't get to see them till years later, and I was a servant for five years, and in my free time I would design buildings and labyrinths, and when they realized my talent, they took my designs and rebuilt the government house, then he schools, and then the cities. Then one day, they asked me to design a prison, a prison no one could escape from. A prison that would scare people into never committing a crime.

This was no difficulty for me to design, but when it was finished, I was the only one who could walk the halls without falling into a trap.

During this time, I had been going through an awkward stage in my life, and I had built myself a small homemade argileh and I had become addicted, and it ruined my good judgment.

I'm not proud of what I did, and I'll never say what it was, but it was so criminal they would have to put me in jail, no trial. But because I had designed the prison, and knew every way out and in, they ordered me killed.

The day of my execution, my sister Maple came to me, she didn't say anything, but she gave me a loath of bread, a canteen and a knife, then she left.

It was a gruesome fight the guards and I had; one could say it was to the death, for the foolish guard who actually dared to fight me.

"I have never seen a more brilliant fighter." The other said and dropped his sword.

The sword slid on the floor to my feet, in which I picked it up and ran out.

I walked for days no end, only stopping to sleep or relieve myself, I even walked while I ate my bread and drank my water, until I couldn't stay awake any longer and I collapsed. Thank god my mask was on when I did.

I don't know how long I slept, but I awoke to the sight of a gypsy girl, about 3 years older than I.

She was leaning over me trying to see if I was alive, and when I awoke she sighed with relief and said something in Romani, then realizing I didn't understand, said in English. "Sir, do you need help?"

I had not spoken to another person in weeks, and her voice was amazing to my ears and I just wanted to keep listening but knowing I had to reply, I said. "Ran away."

I don't know why she did, or why I didn't stop her, but then she took my mask off, and screamed in horror.

Her scream alerted her camp 10 yards away, they ran to her side, and thinking I wasn't human or something, they put me in a cage.

I was brought around the world with them, and they showed me off as some sort of sideshow. Oh the horrors I was put threw, locked in that small cage, strange faces staring at me, those who didn't point threw rocks and apple cores.

They didn't feed me, and I grew to have my bones show threw my chest, I knew I wouldn't last long, it was only a matter of time before I would be gone.

Just as I began to give up hope, a man only about 2 years older than I, , came to my cage and snuck a small roll of threw the bars.

I ate the roll like a savage animal. I declared that I had never tasted a better piece of bread.

The boy's name was Nadir, he had been raised better than to judge someone by their appearance, while the others couldn't believe I was human, he just knew I was.

He came every night and fed me his leftover food and he eventually convinced the others to give me dinner every day, but unfortunately, he also told them what a gentleman I was.

There was this woman, not the one who found me, but her sister. After listening to Nadir, she became curious about me, and soon it let to obsession.

They had given me a new warn set of clothing to wear, and had put a tent cover over my cage to keep the cold out, and as I undressed myself to change, the cage door open, and she climbed in and closed it.

Bashful, I quickly began to dress again, but she stopped me.

She slowly took her dress off, and I was struck by how attractive she looked, but having never been explained the matters of sexual union, I hadn't the slightest idea what she was doing, or why certain parts of me were growing hard.

The she took my hand and brought it to her large pink breasts, further hardening my organ. I felt as if I needed to move closer, but I retreated. If only she had as well.

She frowned and moved closer to me, so close we almost touched, and pert of me wanted to, but I was also afraid.

I moved to the back of my cage, and she followed, this time pulling me to her.

As I entered her small opening, I felt as if I was living for the 1st time, and yet at the same moment, I felt like a cadaver.

At 1st I enjoyed it and I began thrust into her, letting a moan escape my lips, then she pushed me down and sat on me, moving in a way to get my organ sticking strait into her.

I didn't quite like this, having someone on top of me like this, and I tried to push her off, but she just mistook it as me trying to smother her breasts, and grasped my hair.

This wasn't sex like she must have been wanting. No. This was rape. Abysmal, dreadful, terrible rape. I screamed for her to stop, and cried for Nadir to save me, praying that she would keep my mask on.

As soon as began to cry, she stopped and I threw her of me, tossing her aside, and stammering to my feet, not realizing she had hit her head on the gate, killing her slowly.

I grabbed my clothing and hauled it on, not even bothering to button my shirt.

The entire camp was awake now; alarmed and tiered they raced to discover what had happen.

Luckily for me, Nadir had come 1st, and knowing the woman for how she acted and knowing me for my knowledge of the matter, pulled me out of the cage and sprinted me to a building that they were beginning they had to put a halt to building do to proximity to the catacombs under the city and the fact that there apparently was a lake underground.

"Nadir, what are we doing here?" I asked him.

"Saving your neck." He replied, and he pushed me into the broken ground in which I fell through hole into the cold damp catacombs.

Nadir didn't come back that night, or the night after, but he did come every night after that, and each time he brought me things necessary to live, and I soon had an entire house there, but never a home.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. The Music of the Labyrinth.

Eric went back to his organ, his hand covering his face, and he played a single key.

"I'm sorry." I said, but part of me didn't care what hardships the murder went through, he deserved it.

He took back his mask and said. "You've seen my face; I can't let you leave now. I would never kill you like I do the others who see my face, but you I never could harm, so you must stay here."

I took his hand and began to beg. "Please let me go! I won't tell anyone of your face or your life or where you took me! Just please let me go!"

He replaced his mask to his face then looked at me and said. "You fear me now. You hate me. You think me a devil."

I didn't know how to reply so I just said. "You aren't a devil."

"But I'm not an angel either, now am I?"

"You're a musician who says he's both a ghost and an angel."

He stood up and walked over to a mirror and said. "I'm not a musician, nor a ghost, nor an angel. I'm just Eric."

Before I could say anything, due to the late hour, I fell asleep right then and there.

I awoke the next morning to the sight of sun shining through the window in my dressing room. Eric was nowhere to be seen.

She quickly dressed then ran out into the hall to find Raoul.

"Oh Raoul!" I said and hugged him

"Oh Christine are you alright?" He asked. "Don't ever scare me like that again!"

"Oh Raoul don't ever let me scare you like that again!"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. The Persian and the Music Box.

He came to visit Eric regularly; after all, the owner of the opera house had to know what was happening there.

"Good morning Eric." He said, taking off his hat as he stepped down into the labyrinth which Eric called a home. "How are you to day? Your hurts don't still hurt do they?"

"Why does it not surprise me that your talk always turns from friendly conversation to wounds and deformities?" Eric said, pounding away at the keys of his piano.

"Oh Eric. I brought you a gift but if you feel that way about me being here…."

"A gift? But it isn't my birthday for three months and Christmas two."

"Juts be quiet and open it." Nadir said handing him a large box.

Eric tore the paper away the opened the lid of the box, and then he pulled out a music box with the decoration of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals.

"I picked it up visiting the opera house in Persia. I also have some news. The other day the prince of India, you remember India right? We were there in the circus, I was born there, well anyhow turns out the prince had a sister they hid away because she was born with 3 arms, and I think we should go back and meet her."

"Oh stop, I've met a woman alright? And I love her to death."

"Oh no, it isn't that Christine girl you've been obsessed over is it?"

"I'm not obsessed with her I'm in love with her!"

"Eric let's change the subject, the managers say everything is fine here, how is it really doing?"

"Horrible, the sudden drop in money was because of that wrench Carlotta singing like a cow and the new manager must be death to not hear that, and she's only a part of this because he's married to her, and they hired too many choir girls in the alto section so that they could hear them with the sopranos but instead you can't hear the sopranos at all! And also I had to kill a stage hand; they wouldn't accept my terms besides leaving me box five so the ballerinas will stop talking about it, and on top of all that, someone may have seen a glimpse of my face before I hid it with my hands."

"Oh god what did you do to him then?"

"I let her go."

"Oh, her, wait you let her go?"

"It was Christine. I thought of keeping her but, I couldn't see her sad without weeping myself."

Nadir thought for a moment then said. "Maybe you do love her. You've never done that since you've been here."

"Nadir, I have so many questions in my head about love, but am I in love with her is not one. I love Christine as much as I can, but I feel that's not enough. She deserves more than a monster like me."

As Eric's music began to mellow, Nadir sighed and said. "What makes a monster and what makes a man?"

"Oh Nadir, that day I saw Christine I felt my heart stop, and when I first heard her sing, oh I was hard for an hour!"

"We are not going there!" Nadir said.

"I'm sorry, but Nadir, I need her! And now she's seen my face! I have no chance with that woman that beautiful, amazing, woman."

"Eric you need to get a life."

Eric threw his head back and said. "Oh my…"

Nadir rolled his eyes then walked up the stairs saying. "Well I must go talk to the new managers, try not to kill anyone ells."

Eric just sighed and said. "I make no promises."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8. Musical Seduction and a Sword Fight.

Christine sat down at her father's grave, scared and alone, or so she thought.

"Father, you said you would send me an angel of music," She said sadly. "I haven't met him yet."

"Christine, my dear beautiful Christine," Eric's voice rang out but she couldn't see him. "I may not be an angel but I could be your angel, as you are mine. There is so much more to me than murder and pain."

She stood up, looked around for him and said. "You bastard, show yourself, you coward."

"Christine, I would go to the ends of the world for you, I would go to China to get you the softest silk, I would go to Africa to get you the largest diamond, strait from the ground it grew in, for you I would go to the artic to bring you back an ice sculpture of whatever you wanted it to be shaped as, Christine, for you I would go to America, America of all places, just to get you one of those fancy dresses you can only get in New York."

Christine put her hand to her lips then shook her head and said. "You can't buy my affections."

Then he began to sing. "_Beautiful girl, in a hideous world, singing of love when they speak of hate, you are there early when they are there late_."

Christine got shivers up her spine as he sang in his seductive voice.

"_Such a shame, that she takes the blame, when the place is aflame. Soul so kind, with a wonderful mind, others don't see, what she means to me, that beautiful girl, in this hideous world_."

"_It's an amazing thing, when she starts to sing, that beautiful girl, in this hideous world_." Christine sang back to him, walking closer to his voice

He came out from behind a tombstone and as he walked towards her he sang. "_If she had to choose, which music to use, she'd go with the softest, for she is so modest_."

"_When she dreams, she shines like sunbeams, he mind and her voice, an amazing team_!"

Then in the voices of angels they sang in unison. "_That beautiful girl in this hideous world, such a shame, that she takes the blame, when the place is aflame. Soul so kind, with a wonderful mind, others don't see, what she means to me, it's an amazing thing, when she starts to sing, if she had to choose, which music to use, she'd go with the softest, for she is so modest. When she dreams, she shines like sunbeams, he mind and her voice, an amazing team! That beautiful girl, in this hideous world_!"

For a brief moment, they were only an inch away from each other, almost about to kiss, but before they could, which in Hindsight would have been better for both of them if they did, Raoul ran into the cemetery, shouting. "Christine! Christine where are you!"

As Christine turned away from him, Eric, half stunned from the sound of Christine's voice, half angered at Raoul, grabbed Christine and said. "You are mine!"

Christine cried out, and Raoul came to her aid.

"Get off her!" Raoul said, drawing his word from its scabbard.

Eric pushed Christine behind him took his sword and said. "If it's a fight you want, it is fight you shall get!"

Christine covered her eyes, but peeked through her fingers, watching the two men clink their metal swords together, then Eric kicked Raoul's ankle, causing him to fall against a gravestone, and hold his sword up to keep Eric's from coming any closer.

The sound of the sword scratching and sliding against the other sword, heard Christine's ears so that she had to cover her ears, just as Raoul kicked Eric in his manhood, then jumped up and grabbed Eric's sword, pushing him to the ground and holding both swords to Eric's neck.

The look of hatred on Eric's face was barely overcome by the fear and sadness in his eyes, which because they were always there, they were unnoticeable.

"Raoul no!" Christine said. "Not like this!"

Raoul frowned then stepped back and put his sword away then stuck Eric's in the ground and put his hands on Christine's shoulders, then left with her.

"So it is war for both of you." Eric said, slowly standing up. "Christine you will be mine!"


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9. A Plan to Catch an Opera Ghost.

Raoul has no idea who he's dealing with, Nadir took care of Eric since he came to the opera and I have made sure his needs were met since I started working there.

"It's going to work." He said to the manager and his wife. "We shall put on this Don Juan play, and when he comes, we will catch him and arrest him for murder!"

"But are you sure it will work?" Mr. Fray said with a worried tone."

"It will work, Christine has already agreed to it.

"Very well, if you are sure."

I left the door just in time to not be seen by them, rushed into box five to warn Eric, but of course he already knew.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10. Don Juan Triumphant.

The castings were wrong, the scenery was terrible, and call me a critic but the only thing that went to plan was Christine in the part of Emily, one of the three lead characters.

That part was given to Christine because of one song in the entire opera, a melody that may alarm the listener if they listen closely to the lyrics, a carol about my lustful longing for Christine.

I looked at her out on that stage of red curtains, sitting there on the floor in front of all those people, most of them I believed to be police officers, and Christine let one small sleeve drop off her shoulder then said her lines.

I closed my eyes, and put my hand to the black mask I had stolen from the not gone actor who was supposed to play the part to hide who I was, and took to the stage at the cue.

"Passarino, go away for the trap it is set and awaits for its prey."

I'm not sure if Christine stood up knowing it was me or because it was her cue.

Then I sang. "You have come here In pursuit of your deepest urge In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent, silent. I have brought you that our passions may fuse and merge in your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses completely succumbed to me now you are here with me no second thoughts you've decided, decided. Past the point of no return no backward glances our games of make-believe are at an end. Past all thought of 'if' or 'when', no use resisting abandon thought and let the dream descend what raging fire shall flood the soul what rich desire unlocks its door what sweet seduction lies before us? Past the point of no return the final threshold what warm unspoken secrets will we learn beyond the point of no return?"

"You have brought me to that moment when words run dry to that moment when speech disappears into silence, silence. I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why in my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent, now I am here with you no second thoughts I've decided, decided." She sang then we walked up the winding metal stairwell. "Past the point of no return no going back now our passion-play has now at last begun. Past all thought of right or wrong one final question how long should we two wait before we're one? When will the blood begin to race the sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last consume us?"

As we reached the top of the stairs we walked towards each other and both snag at the same time. "Past the point of no return the final threshold the bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn we've passed the point of no return."

I took her arm and swung her around into my arms, and then there was a moment of silence as the ballet rats down below danced.

He took her hand in mine and ran up her body, singing. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime, lead me, save me from my solitude, say you want me with you here beside you anywhere you go let me go too Christine that's all I ask of…"

Be before I could finish, she turned to me and ripped of my mask and wig!

I don't know how the ones without opera glasses saw it, but the entire opera house screamed in horror, and the Fool and the police ran from their seats to arrest me and take Christine away.

In a panic I took my sword from where I hid it in scaffold and cut the ropes I had positioned there.

The large golden chandelier in the ceiling plummeted to the audience below, and the audience screamed in terror as it fell and crashed, impairing and taking the lives of many, but it didn't matter to me, the only thing that mattered was Christine.


	12. Chapter 11

i think i've kept you waiting long enough...

* * *

><p>Chapter 11. Down to the Catacombs.<p>

The audience was in fright as the chandler came down. Five were killed, ten injured.

Eric pulled the lever to open the trapdoor and the fell though it and then through the trapped door opened for later in the scene.

Raoul grabbed a sword from a suit of armor and went down after them, to find they were nowhere to be seen, then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around ready to use the sword if he had to, and saw Madam Giry standing there.

"I know where he has taken her, follow me."

And so she led Raoul down a hall to a stone hall of stairs.

"I can't go any farther; I have a daughter to live for. Sir, for your safety, keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"

He nodded then put his hand to his head then raced down the stairs.

Meanwhile, Eric had taken Christine down another passage to his cave like home.

"You had to ruin it! You and that boy!" He said, pulling her along by the arm, all the while tears fell from his eyes, and then when they got to the lake with the gondola, he pulled her in front of him and said. "You brought this on yourself, my Christine! I can never let you leave me now! It's either me or death, Christine; this is the point of no return!"

Christine tried to pull away, but he gripped her by the shoulders and said, sadly. "Why? Christine my love, why?"

Raoul ran down the stairs in a rage, almost knocking over the Persian who had been walking down the stairs at a slower pace.

"Out of my way!" Raoul yelled trying to run past.

Nadir grabbed his wrist and said. "You can't come down here!"

"But someone's in danger!"

"You will be too if you go down, now as owner of the opera house, I kindly ask you to go back up."

"You own this place? Well sir do you know what monster is living here? He's hideous!"

"He's never known what love is! All those years of being locked in a cage and laughed at by beautiful people, and who knows what happen before then, all those years of being beaten and humiliated, had driven him mad and scared! All he knows is pain and music!"

"That thing kidnapped my Christine!"

"That thing, is named Eric, and this Christine, how is she yours?"

"She's the love of my life."

"But she's not really yours is she? No. She is her own person."

"We'll continue this argument later; now I have to find Christine before…."

Before he could finish, he took a step back and the floor below opened up, and they plummeted into some sort of spike walled chamber, then the opened closed again

"Now you've down it!" Nadir said. "Now we shall die in one of Eric's many traps! Only Eric and I know where they are, and now look…."

"Just shut up and tell me how to get out!"

He pointed to a lever high above, and Raoul began to climb the wall, but fell back as a raging spray of water came pouring out of holes in the wall, filling the chamber with freezing water.

Raoul tried again, but found the spiked he had been climbing on all too slippery to hold on to, and that combined with water spraying him from every direction, caused him to fall.

"In times like this, it's best to just thank god for the life we had and hold our breath."

Raoul hit him then said. "We have to get out! Christine needs me and you know how to get to her!"

Nadir sighed then shouted in a loud angry tone. "Eric, get me the hell out of here!"

The call echoed through the tunnels, reaching Eric, who realizing his friend was in danger, ran to a cluster of levers and pulled down on one, and the water in the chamber stopped.

Nadir looked at Raoul and said. "Climb up."

Only a few moments later, Eric stood at the keys of his piano, holding a small ring in his hand.

"What do you plan to do with me?" Christine asked, sitting in a corner like a scared child.

Eric looked at her and said. "Dear Christine, I plan to wed you, for that is what a man and a woman do when they love each other."

"But I don't love you!"

Eric could hear his heart shatter from inside him, but he kept back his tears and said. "But you must, otherwise you wouldn't have sent The Fool away when I said, or have felt sorrow when I told you of my life, and you wouldn't have let me be so close to you in the cemetery, that snow-white day.

As he finished speaking, there was a splashing noise, and he turned to see Raoul standing at the gate that kept the small shallow lagoon which held the gondola, from the large lake.

"You!" Erik said seeing him then turned to the captive girl. "Why Christine, I believe the young fool has come here for you! Shall I tell him to leave?"

"Raoul!" Christine shouted, and started to run to him, but The Phantom caught her.

"No that would just make you upset, wouldn't? I know! He could be a witness to our wedding!"

"Let my Christine go!"

"Oh, 'Your' Christine? You own her? I'm so sorry Christine dear, so sorry."

"Raoul!" Christine cried.

"Oh fine!" Eric said then walked over to the levers again and pulled one to open the gate.

Raoul walked under as it was rising, and then turned when Nadir shouted. "Han d at the level of your eyes!"

But before Raoul could do anything, The Phantom had a rope around his neck.

"Oh Nadir," Erik said, as he walked through the shallow water to Raoul. "I thought you were my friend, guess I was wrong."

"Eric don't kill him!" Nadir said. "You said it yourself, he's just a boy!"

"So?" Erik said and put the other end of the rope though the bars of the gate then took another rope and tied Raoul, arms to his side, to the gate itself. "Death has no care for age."

"Raoul!" Christine cried and ran to the edge of the water.

"Aw yes, Christine, you fit into this boy's death more than you know at the moment!"

Nadir tried to step forward, but he triggered an unknown trap, and the currant changed causing him to slip and was swept away into another chamber, where another gate closed as the current stopped, so he could only stand hopelessly and watch them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Christine asked, tears falling from her eyes.

"Oh Christine, wipe you tears, you have a chance to save him! More of a choice really…"

"What is it? Tell me so he can live!"

"The choice, dear Christine, is stay with me, and let him live, or say you love him, and leave while I kill him with my ropes."

Christine grabbed her mouth in horror, she couldn't let Raoul die, but she couldn't stay with Eric, and yet deep inside, she did love him too.

Raoul frowned and said. "You demon from hell! How dare you make her choose like that! Christine don't risk your life for me! I'll die more painfully if you have to stay with him then if it were by being strangled by a rope!"

"Same goes for me, only worst for I have loved her longer!"

"You beast! You don't love her you're obsessed with her!"

"I do love her!" Erik shouted at him, then heard a mob of people somewhere in the catacombs, looking for them, then turned to Christine and said. "Christine!"

"Please don't make me choose!" Christine shouted.

"You and The Fool have tried my patients, Christine, make your decision!"

Christine wiped tears from her eyes, then lifted her dress and walked through the water, towards him.

"You with your temper have tried to be kind to me." She said. "You taught me to sing like an angel, you kept your hands to yourself, even though it was obvious you wanted them on me, and you say you would give the world to me if I asked."

Eric flinched as she put her hand to his deformed cheek then put his hand to hers, then was shocked to find her lips at his, but instantly kissed her back.

The kiss lasted seven seconds only, but when Christine pulled back from Eric, he kissed her again, and who knows how long that kiss lasted but god himself.

Then Eric pulled away, eyes filled with tears he tried to blink away, and walked past her saying. "Take him. Take him and leave, go marry him if you wish, I know you love him."

Christine looked at him for a moment then ran to Raoul and began to untie him.

"Leave and never return to the opera above! If you must sing, sing someplace ells!"

Eric went to his levers and pulled one to release Nadir, then went into one of his room.

He sat there with his little music box, watching it play as tears dripped from his eyes like the beginning of a rain storm to come; then he looked up and saw Christine.

"Christine I love you more than I should." He said, knowing that hiding his tears would be useless now.

She took the ring Raoul had given her off her finger and gave it to him then said. "I won't marry him before seeing you again."

He looked at it for a long moment then saw she was gone, and then went to the edge of the water to see them in the boat with Nadir driving.

Christine lifted her head from its place on Raoul's shoulder as if to say "thank you" then rested it against Raoul again.

Eric sighed and somewhat sang. "Christine you are my angel and my shame! You will be in my heart for life and death!"

Christine cried against Raoul's shoulder, then cried more realizing Raoul was somewhat scolding her for kissing him.

Eric went to his throne like chair at his organ, sat down then wrapped himself in his cape so that he was completely hidden.

Moments later, when Christine, Nadir and Raoul were out of sight, a police officer pulled the came from the chair to find nothing there but some sheet music and a mask.

* * *

><p>i think this is the longest chapter yet.<p>

Me: Eric what's that look for?

Eric: you made me loose Christine.

Me: oh, yeah, story's not over yet just so you don't kill me. ever here of love never dies?

Eric: no.

Me: good


	13. Chapter 12 dad do not read

do not read this if your under age!

dad i did't right it my friend Derrik did

* * *

><p>Chapter 12. There Was No Light<p>

A year had passed, and now she stood there, I couldn't see her for when she opened the door the candle blew out.

"You, you came?" I said, and put my hand to my unmasked face.

"I had to tell you I'm getting married tomorrow." Christine said. "It didn't feel right not telling you."

"Why? So you could rub what would be my nose in the fact I didn't win, then go and shower your young Raoul with kisses?"

"No. Angel, I don't know why, I just felt as I need to tell you."

I turned away from her and said. "I'm no angel, you're the angel."

"You are to me. A strange one but an angel no doubt."

She placed her hand on my shoulder, and I took it in mine and kissed it then sang softly. "Christine I love you."

Then she kissed my deformed face, not covered by my mask. A kiss goodbye was all it was, a single kiss goodbye.

But I didn't let go of her hand, I couldn't let go if I wanted to, if I did and she left at that moment, I would unquestionably die from a broken heart.

She knew I truly did love her, and she kissed me again, this time on my lips.

I whimpered a small whimper, and then my tongue found its way into her mouth, playing with hers while we grew closer.

I wrapped my arms around her, not wanting to let this moment go, and she stoked what little hair I had

Then in a strange blazing rage, I threw us to the wall and I began to kiss her neck, while she slowly took to the buttons on my shirt.

This was the release we needed. To get away from our horrors and realities and just be with each other, in the dark, alone, away from disapproving eyes and voices.

I knew little of sex, only what I've read in book, and I had been rapped the night I ran away to the opera house, only a few weeks before I met Christine, but somehow we both knew what to do.

As I finally got her undergarments away from her skin, she was long since done with my clothing; all that was left was to unite as one.

I had promised myself it would only be done with Christine, but I never thought it would be like this, feeling each other, fumbling and trying to find each other's pleasures, and then when I finally got her to my bed, I felt my hardened organ slip into her, causing me to gasp as I broke her barrier.

"Eric…" She said, gripping the sheets in pain at the loss of her virginity. I pulled back thinking I had done something wrong but she just whispered. "More."

And so I thrust myself into her, moving in a circle to please us both, causing her to cry out loud enough to wake all of Paris as she tightened around me.

"Oh Christine…..my Christine!" I said between kisses, I had now moved from her neck to her breasts, which immediately warmed as I grasped them.

This was more than just sex, no, this truly was making love. Passionate, meaning full, and I could feel ourselves flow together.

There wasn't a single inch of her she didn't allow me to take, and when I was tiered but not yet ready to stop, she did something I never thought she would, but I'm glad she did.

She ran her mouth down from my neck, across my chest to my arms, then without even taking her mouth away, she took to the base of my organ.

This feeling made my eyes widen, I had to bite down on my hand to keep from screaming in joy as she kissed it down to the tip, where she traced the head with her finger then licked the entire thing, then placed it in her mouth and hummed, swallowing as I emptied into her.

My hand now had bite marks that could never heal on them, and as I filled her that male substance, I screamed her name, over and over until I hurt my voice.

Then I pulled her up to me flipped her under me, shoving my man-hood into the no longer virgin opening, all while gently nibbling her ear and thanking god in my mind. Suddenly she had awoken a beast inside, me, an animal that desperately need to mate.

Then we laid there together in silence, promising to never leave each other.

But then just before she fell asleep in my arms, there was a pounding at the door, they had found us.

"Christine get up!" I whispered. "Get dressed they found us!"

"Let them see us." She said. "I love you. I'll prove you innocent."

"No foolish woman, get up and get dressed!"

As she placed her dress on her moist body and I only had the time to get my pants on as I heard the front door crash to the floor.

I opened the door to my wardrobe, reviling a passage out, and pushed her in just before the men in uniform came in, turned on the light and beat me to the ground with the ends on their guns.

I stopped moving to fake my death as they searched the house for Christine, then to my horror they found the wardrobe, and Christine had not left. The sweet foolish woman didn't leave me.

Then the smock Raoul came in and took my Christine in her arms and mistook her cries for my life as cried of fear of what I have done to her, he told her she would never have to see me again.

I wanted to get up and murder them all, but Christine deserved better, so I just lay there and let them take her away.

My friend Madam Giry took me to New York City, where the place was so filled with strange people I could walk about in my mask. I made a name for myself by becoming the leader of a notorious gang where I became rich under the name Mr. E. I was no longer the Phantom of the Opera.

When I had made more than a living, I invested in a small amusement park witch grew to be the most famous in the world. The Coney Island Amusement Park.

I was always pestered by something or another, a bad review, workers slacking off, people spreading stories about dead bodies in the house of mirrors (If I don't find out where that is coming from I'm going to have to close that down because people keep vandalizing it), but the thing that bothered me most was that no matter where or when it was, on Coney Island people were always in pairs, I myself couldn't go down to the piers without herring the sound of people coupling. And I was a man with needs that mere touching could not satisfy. I needed Christine; no one could or even be allowed to pleasure me but her.

And so I sent for the highly famous opera diva so she would sing her first American show at Coney Island.

She came the first day of July, and with her came the fool Raoul and the little girl with blond hair I heard was there daughter. The girl's name was Erica.

They had named her in my memory, the child, and I saw the only toy she was allowed to bring with her was a rag doll with red string hair and stiches to keep it from coming apart, obviously something they hoped to get her to leave behind by "mistake" so they wouldn't see it again. Something was strangely different but familiar about her.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13. Little Erica Arrives

He wasn't really my father, I knew it just by looking at him, but I would never admit I knew. He and momma would fight a lot, leaving me in my room scared while they argued.

I only had one friend. My doll Angel. She has red string hair and stiches that keep her in her organs (really her stuffing) without them she'd be a mess. She's been my doll since I was small.

Whenever my parents would fight, my nanny, Martha, use to tell me my doll would help me find love and that I should always keep it, like some people keep their baby blankets till they're old.

My doll and I like ghost stories and magic tricks and music. We even came up with our own music, we call it Rhymers. It's like a nursery rhyme with a beat, grown up people don't really like it, but kids at school think it is great.

Today we arrived at Coney Island, and Angel and I were almost trampled on by people with cameras and paper, who asked my mother weird questions.

"Hey kid!" One said to me. "What the first thing you want to do in America?"

"Um, get a pen pal to write." I said, and then father told me not to answer them.

A man with a long top hat and coat strung with pearls took us in a carriage to where we were staying, and I had a box left at the door step for me.

I opened it inside while my mother and father talked, and found it was a music box with a monkey on it playing symbols, I wined it up and it played the song _This Old Man_ then I realized that the bottom could be opened, and I found that you could flip the little bumpy disk over to play another song.

I didn't know the song, but when it played, momma got real quiet and said. "Masquerade. Oh lord he's here! Raoul he's here! The Phantom of the Opera! He's alive and he's here!"

I hadn't any idea what they were talking about, but they started arguing so I went into my room with the monkey and Angel.

The next morning, Martha and I went to the house of mirrors, well I did, and she stayed outside and waited for me because of something about a girl named Mary.

When I came out the other side, I saw a dark figure walk into a building with a sign above the door.

The sign said _Restricted Area_ so I just shrugged and walked back to Martha.

Martha and I walked around the theme park for a while, then I saw a group of kids and I ran over to them and said. "Hi I'm Erica."

"I'm Josh." A brown haired boy said then pointed to the brown haired girl behind him and said. "This is my sister, Anne."

"It's nice to meet you. Hey did you know you are never more than eight feet away from a spider?"

"No why?"

"Because there's one on your sister's head."

The girl began to panic but I just gently took it off her head and put it on the ground.

"Without spiders, we would be in a heap of trouble with other bugs,"

"Spiders are creepy." Anne said.

"You want to know something really creepy? A friend of mine once went to Tennessee, and she was going down the road in her automobile with her parents when they hit something. It had the body of a goat, the head on a man and the feet of a chicken, and my friend poked it, and got real sick, and started growing mold out of her ears, and she almost died."

"That didn't happen!" Josh said.

"You're right it didn't just trying to scare you. Hey look a clown."

They turned around and I tickled the back of their necks and they jumped, scared then said. "You're mean!"

I pouted then they ran off.

"No one likes me." I said to Angel.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14. Christine again.

She had just been given a dressing room, the best one there was, but something in her had changed, my dear Christine was no longer the woman who loved music and sang for joy, but now for money.

"What has happen, Christine?" I said to her as she came from her bathroom.

She pulled her robe tighter around her and said. "It is you."

"When was it that money became your priority?"

"Eric your obsession with me isn't healthy."

"Oh when is it obsession and when is it love? I knew you had a better life now; I tried to stay away and let you live your life, I really did try, but I couldn't stand the thought of you in his arms!"

She was about to reply when suddenly her little daughter came in holding a mouse saying. "Momma can I keep it?"

Christine screamed at the sight of the mouse, causing the girl to drop it and it ran around in a scurrying mess.

I simply picked it up and said. "Oh Christine you frightened him."

"I frightened it?" She said motioning for me the toss it out he window, which I did ever so carefully.

"Hi I'm Erica." Erica said with a smile. "I like your mask."

"Well thank you very much. I never go anywhere without it."

"I never go anywhere without my doll. Her name is Angel."

I stared at the poor doll she held up and said. "It's so ragged, why don't you get a new doll? There are plenty of toy shops here in Coney."

"Oh but she's not just any doll, she's my best friend, I had her since I can remember."

Christine sighed and said. "Remember when I said your obsession wasn't healthy? I take it back. She can't tell what's real and what's not."

I kneeled down to Erica's level and said. "You have an active imagination don't you?"

"Yes sir."

"I did too at your age. Still do."

"What's your name?"

"You can call me Mr. E."

"The man who owns this place?"

"That's me."

"Your park is amazing Mr. E. I just love it!"

"Well thank you, if you ever want a grand tour, just say the word."

She nodded.

"Sweet heart," Christine said. "Erica, can you please go play while I talk with Mr. E."

Again the girl nodded then ran off.

"Christine, just to make sure you don't leave, if you don't sing for me, the girl won't be going home with you. Of course I will still pay you, but just taking precautions."

"Eric no more threats please."

"This will be the last one."

And with that I turned and left.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15. Changes.

Eric had always tried to shield me from his temper and sorrow; he would sing me to sleep when I missed my father doing do, and he call me little pet names, like 'Dear' or 'Angel' and once he even called me the apple of his eye. And he was always go to extreme lengths to make me happy. He sent flowers to my room, always red roses, and he would buy me the sweetest chocolates. He would always complement my singing before he told me what I needed to work on. Oh and when I first came and I was only sixteen, I had been scared of the dark so bad I would scream when my candle went out at night when I was still awake, and even though I hadn't seen him, he kept it lit for me.

Around the time I turned twenty, he showed himself to me for the first time, and he begged me to not ask what was behind his mask, he said it would make everything fall apart, I didn't know what he meant till years later, but I did realize that he had affections towards me that an angel shouldn't, but I still told myself he was an angel, and I began to love him like he loved me, until around the time Raoul came, and he took on I different personality.

He became cruel, jealous and demanding, and he kidnapped me, just so I wouldn't marry Raoul.

Raoul, when we were children, he saved my scarf from the river, he helped me learn to read and he kept me company when father was sick. My first kiss was with Raoul.

But then he changed sometime after I left to live with the Giry's. He dinks himself to sleep, he has a bad temper and he dallied with women who had wedding rings, got into fights with their husbands and then bet everything he had in a game of poker, and now that we are married, the only thing that has changed is he no longer dallies with women.

And he suspected that Eric had raped me, that long ago night, and yet on our wedding night he still made make love to him, and it was practically rape because of house rough and demanding he was. Nothing like how gentle and careful Erik was. I hardly ever made love to Raoul after that.

And I had changed too. At first Raoul started to take note of how sick I was getting, and how hungry I was, then we found out we would have a baby. Raoul was too drunk to know I had given birth.

After a shocking discovery, I went into a stage where I desperately wanted to end my life, but I didn't because of my little Erica. After that stage I began to work at an opera house again, much to Raoul's disappointment, but this time it was only for the money. Not for the music Eric had taught me to love.

For a while I thought of quitting, just so I wouldn't have to think of Eric, the I realized, that a part of him would be with me forever.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16. Secrets and Children.

"Do you have any idea how much you owe me for burning my opera house down?"

"Nadir, you're back." I said to Nadir, not at all surprised he was speaking of money.

"I would have been back sooner but I had budget cuts."

"I promise I will pay you back."

"You better."

"Nadir I must finish my work."

"Yes I know."

Only moments after he left, there was a knock at my door.

"Enter." I said, not taking my eyes from my piano, until I realized it was Erica.

"Hello Mr. E. I was exploring while my momma was in the dressing room and I heard a piano so I guess I came to see where it was coming from."

"Aw, little Eric. Yes that was my piano you heard, I write music as a hobby and a living,"

"Raoul hates music but Momma loves it."

"You call your father by his name?"

"Calling him Papa doesn't fit him, he's more of, um, a fop."

"I say the same thing."

"I can play piano too."

"You can? Would you show me?"

She nodded then I let her sit next to me at the piano and she began to play a song I never heard but I realized, if it were played slower, it was Mary Had a Little Lamb.

"I hardly think that's the speed for that song."

"I know."

"So why do you play it so fast?"

"It is better sounding, I like to take slow songs and play them fast, and make sad songs sound happy."

"Oh really?"

"And I like to take songs played on violins and play them on a fiddle in front of everyone."

"You aren't scared of what they would think?"

"No, it's the music that matters."

Suddenly, a strange realization came over me.

"Dear Erica, do you ever feel like an outsider? Like you don't belong?"

"Well I think everyone dose sometimes."

"But do you constantly?"

"Well, yes."

"Do you ever wish you could surround yourself with the music you play and never come out from the cluster?"

"Raoul says I spend too much time on the piano because of I do."

"Do you ever just want to push away the world and stay in your minds solitude?"

"I think of 5 impossible things all before breakfast."

"What is your favorite thing in the world?"

"Music and my doll. My only friends, well unless you count Momma."

"Do you ever give up just because it's too hard?"

"Impossible isn't in my vocabulary."

"Would you look death in the eye and say hello if you crossed paths?"

"And 'how do you do'. I would also spit in the devil's face if I met him."

I stood up and walked to the other side of the room, run my hand threw my wig and touching the string that held on my mask and said. "What do you believe beautiful is?"

She thought for a moment, I wasn't sure if she didn't understand me or if she didn't know what beautiful is, but she smiled and said. "It's the inside that counts."

I turned to her and took my mask and wig off, and she went wide eyed and screamed.

Christine came rushing in at the sound of her daughter screaming, to find Erica staring at me from the corner of the room with fear in her eyes.

"Erica, it's ok!" She said, and put her arms around her daughter. "He's not a monster he's human as you and me! Martha will you take her back to the hotel?"

Erica's nanny took her away and Christine stood up and said. "I'm sorry."

I banged my hand on my piano and turned to her to ask. "Christine, how could you think I wouldn't find out?"

"What do you mean?"

"How could you think I wouldn't know?"

"Oh no."

"Is there something you want to tell me dear Christine?"

"Please Eric…."

"Christine I want the truth out of you! Why is that child so much like me an nothing like your husband?"

Christine turned her head down and said. "Seven years ago, when Raoul took me away from you and I thought you were dead, he didn't take me away alone. Erica isn't his daughter. She's yours."

"Christine, oh Christine." I said, turning away from her. "My own flesh and blood fears me."

"Oh Eric, she just wasn't prepared."

"Take her, take her and leave. Don't let her know…"

"Eric, I'm not leaving just yet. I promised you one last song and I will sing you one last song."

"Christine you truly are an angel. And Erica, she will have everything I can give her."

She kissed my deformed cheek then left.

I sighed then played a few notes on the piano then saw Nadir walk in.

"Hello Nadir." I said. "You wouldn't believe what has happen."


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17. Beauty and the Beast?

I feel horrible for being scared of Mr. E. Momma said that he was born like that and can't help how he looks, and that he may have a bad temper at times but he's not a monster but a person.

I heard many stories or people who are hideous but kind of heart, _The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, _and_ The Princess and the Frog,_ and something that they say happened not long ago about an opera ghost who wore a mask, and was in love with a singer named Christine. Raoul hates that story and won't let me hear any more than a short summery.

I sat at my window looking out at the sky that looked like it would burst with rain soon, and I thought of the stories, then I thought of how Momma and Mr. E looked at each other, and then giggled realizing that was the look people get when they're in love.

Could Momma be in love with someone other than Raoul? That was a stupid question, should have asked if Momma could be in love with Mr. E. When she looks at him it's like she can't see anyone else, and kind of like she's expecting to marry him in a few days.

And when Mr. E looks at Momma, it's like there's tons of other people keeping him away from her when he needs her.

I ran into the room Momma was in and said. "Momma! I need to talk to Mr. E! I have to say I'm sorry!"

Raoul stood up from his chair and said. "Now Erica you are never to see that demon again…"

"He's not a demon! He's human! Maybe even an angel! I need to tell him I'm sorry! And Momma needs to talk to him too…"

Raoul turned to Momma and said. "Christine what is she talking about?"

"She saw his face and was scared." Momma said.

"He showed her that thing he calls a face? How dare he do such a…"

"I don't have time for this!" I said and grabbed my sandals and ran out the door.

"Erica…." Raoul began but before he could finish I got to the stairs and ran down.

I ran to the building where I was last night, then realized I wasn't sure what to say to him, but before I could even think about it, he stepped out from the side door.

"Mr. E?" I said.

"Come back to see the monster?" He said, stopping.

"Well I was going to say I was sorry, but if you're going to be like that…"

"You're not sorry, you just pity me."

"I'm sorry I screamed at you and I'm sorry that, you, um, look like that."

"No one feels sorry for me. They all just want to stare at the monster behind the mask."

"I broke a promise when I screamed at you. I promised myself if I ever saw someone like from my fairy tales who wasn't some handsome prince, I would treat them nicely and see if they became one."

"I don't have some curse on me, not one that can be broken. And I'm certainly not a prince."

He began to walk off but I followed and asked. "What's your real name?"

He stopped then turned to me and said. "Eric Parmar."

"That's a lovely name."

"Says a girl named Erica."

* * *

><p>Hello, i know i'm not sticking to Love Never Dies plot, but hey, i'm not Andrew.<p> 


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18. A Bet.

Raoul wasn't looking for Erica; she ran off all the time and would be found at that lousy piano playing those darn songs he hated so much later, so instead he just sat a bar drinking his cares away, when Nadir walked in.

"Aren't you Viscount Raoul de Chagny?"

"Why yes I am. Who the hell are you?"

"Nadir Najafi."

"Didn't you own the Paris Garnier?"

"I did until I went bankrupt after the chandelier and the fire it caused."

"That monster caused a lot of trouble."

"Eric lived there because I bought it. And he owes me money for all that as well."

"Oh god another one who thinks he's…"

"Careful with your words Boy. He's still alive."

"Oh really?"

Nadir nodded then walked out saying. "And he's closer than you think."

"I'm not afraid of him Najafi! I won the game once and I would again if I saw him!"

Nadir shook his head and left the building.

Raoul turned back to the bar to see Eric there, glaring at him with a mischievous smile.

"Oh god, you are still alive."

"Not scared of me you say? Well sir, like time, I have changed."

"You are lucky we are in a public place…"

"As are you. And about that comment, about how you beat me once and could beat me again, well foolish boy that was a different game then. Now let me ask you this, on your wedding night, did you see red?"

"You raped her…"

"Oh no, I could never harm Christine. Now another question, this time about Erica, adorable little Erica, dose she like hair brushes and crowns that shine in the light like you do? Or dose she prefer music and illusions like me?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Sir, I hear you like to gamble a little too much. Well I have a bet for you."

Raoul straightened up and asked. "What sort of bet?"

"A little bet about if Christine sings or not."

"My win?"

"If she doesn't sing, you go home with her and Erica, and all your gambling debts are paid off."

"And if you win?"

"If she sings, you go home and leave the two girls behind. And you can't tell them about this."

"I would never make such a foolish…"

"Oh I understand if you're scared and don't want…"

Raoul shot up and said. "I am not scared! It's a bet!"

"Devil take the hindmost." Eric said and they shook hands, then Eric left.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19. To Sing or Not to Sing.

"Christine!" Raoul said as he entered my dressing room. "Come with me we're leaving."

"I'm about to go on Raoul!" I said. "Whatever are you talking about?"

"Christine you're my wife and you'll do as a say! Now hurry, get Erica and let's go!"

"Raoul…"

"Christine if you love me then you won't sing tonight! It's that monster!"

"Oh Raoul he's not a monster! He's a human being! And I promised Eric I would sing."

"Why do you keep calling him Eric? As if he deserved to have a name!"

"Raoul! I'm singing tonight! It's my career not yours."

He sighed and said. "Fine. Christine I wish you luck."

I was about to speak but he left.

A manager came to the door and knocked saying. "Mrs. Christine you're up."

I brushed my hair one last time and walked out.

"And now, the moment you've all ben waiting for," The announcer said. "Mrs. Christine de Chagny!"

As the curtain rose, I saw Erica in the front row with her nanny, but Raoul was nowhere to be seen.

After I finished singing, and the curtain went down, I went back to my dressing room expecting him to be there, but found only Eric.

"Oh Christine you were lovely tonight." He said with a smile.

"Thank you." I said. "Have you seen Raoul?"

He smile faded to a serious emotionless look and said. "My dear, I'm afraid you Foolish husband has left you behind."

"What?"

He handed me a note which read: Christine I am sorry but I must leave you. I hope your angel can do better than I did.

"He's gone, oh my god he left me!"

Just then, Martha ran in and said. "Christine! Erica is missing!"

Could this day get any worse?

"What? What happen?"

"She left her doll in her seat and she ran away to go get it, I went after her but she wasn't there! I can't find her anywhere!"

Before anyone could even realize what she had said, I ran out followed by Eric.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20. Greed.

I tried to call out for help, but the man held his hand to my mouth, I tried to bite and lick it to get him to let go but nothing worked.

He took me up to a doc that went far out and said. "Here we all child, your final destination!"

He let go of me then and I shouted. "Momma help me! Momma!"

"Your mother can't help you now so shut up!"

Then like a knight in shining armor, Mr. E ran up on the dock followed by Momma, but the mean man pulled a gun from his pocket and shouted. "Don't come any closer or I'll shoot!"

"Momma!" I cried. "Momma help!"

"Nadir what in bloody hell are you doing?" Mr. E screamed.

"You owe me a lot of money Eric!" The man shouted. "And you were going to blow it all on a little girl!"

"Nadir…"

"Momma!" I shouted. "Where's father?"

The man sneered wickedly and said. "Oh Erica, he is here! Mr. E is your real father! And he was going to leave you all his money when he died, how sweet? But would he leave me any? No! I saved his life, and how does he repay me? He burns down my opera house! And when I save his life again, he doesn't repay me at all!"

"Nadir!" Mr. E screamed.

"Don't come any closer! Eric you have a choice to make now, give me all the money, or watch as the little girl dies!"

Mr. E stepped closer and said. "Nadir, I had every intension to pay you back…."

"I said don't come closer!"

Mr. E still came closer saying. "Nadir, give me the gun…."

"I'm warning you!"

Mr. E took the gun and the man pulled the trigger.

Quickly momma screamed and grabbed her arm shouting some very rude words.

"Christine!" Mr. E screamed and ran to her.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21. Bloody Elbows and Living Arrangements.

Christine had been shot in the elbow, and the doctor said she may never be able to bend that arm again, or she won't be able to without causing her ulnar nerve to pin and needle. My poor Christine who had been so flawless now had a hole in her arm joint the size of a quarter.

And then there was the awkward part. Erica knew.

Sitting there in the waiting room that was empty except for us was torcher. Neither of us spoke, until Erica broke the silence.

"Are you really my father?" She asked.

"I believe so. You are certainly not Raoul's and I am the only other one besides him who could be."

She reached over and hugged me and said. "Can I call you Papa?"

I smiled and nodded, putting my arm around her.

Then the doctor came out with Christine, who's arm joint was covered with bandages.

Erica and I both stood up quickly and said. "Is she going to be alright?"

"She'll be just fine. Now she has to keep the bandages on for some time, but she should be good as new by then."

Erica ran and hugged her mother then frowned at her and said. "You have some explaining to do."

Christine got on her knees and said. "Erica, Mr. E and I were good friends before I married Raoul, and Raoul has left us with him."

"The Fool Boy left?"

Christine stood up and looked at me.

"I only said that once." I said.

"I have a question." Erica asked. "If he's my father then why don't I, um, look like him."

"You take after your mother in looks."

"Oh. Another question. Where are we going to stay now?"

Christine frowned and said. "I guess in the hotel until something happens."

"Something did." I replied. "You may stay at my home, I'm hardly ever there anyway."

"Oh thank you Eric but I…"

"Oh Christine, please stay at Eric's home while you are. He is sure it's better than a hotel."

Christine looked at me and said. "Um…"

"He is speaking in third person again, isn't he?"

"Um yes." Erica said. "Does he do that a lot?"

"Yes he does."

I took them back to my small apartment, and Erica started to fall asleep, so I carried her then when we got my apartment, I woke her and put her down to open the door then took her to the guest room where Christine tucked her in bed.

When she fell asleep, Christine walked out and closed the door and said. "Thank you Eric. You've been so kind."

"I can do nothing ells for you, by trying anyway."

She kissed me and said. "I forgave you for all that for years ago."

"Oh Christine you should not forgive Eric for that, he was acting dreadfully selfish."

"Eric you did it out of a love that turned to obsession."

"Oh but Eric does not deserve to feel love. After all, he is a living corpse."

"No. No you aren't." She said and kissed me again, and this time I kissed her back.

And of like that night so long ago, I found myself sitting her on the bed, both of us undressed.

"Oh Eric…" She said.

"Christine, what of Erica?" I said between kisses.

"She's sound asleep."

"What of your husband?"

"He left me."

"And my face?"

"It's beautiful in my eyes."

"I don't want to hurt you…"

It only hurts the first time."

"Oh Christine say you want me…"

"I need you."

I took her in my arms, kissing her neck all while knowing it was wrong, yet I didn't care.

* * *

><p>and yet it still isn't over! and that is not the last you see of Raoul...<p> 


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22. Stay with me?

Christine was there beside me when I awoke, I couldn't ask for anything more.

When she awoke and kissed me and ran her hand down one of my scars and said. "I can't believe they did that to you."

"They don't hurt anymore." I said. "They healed the day I met you."

She kissed me again and snuggled up to me and said. "I love you, Angel."

"Will you marry me?"

She looked at me and said. "If Raoul doesn't come back changed at next spring, then yes."

"Good enough for me."

We got dressed then heard a crash and ran out to the dining room to find Erica on the table trying to hold the miniature chandelier to the ceiling and a frying pan on the floor.

"This isn't what it looks like." Erica said.

"Hold it there." I said with a sigh and went and got my tool box and screwed it back into the ceiling then helped Erica down then folded my arms at her and said. "What did you do?"

"There may have been a wasp in my way that I was trying to kill. Good news is no one important was hurt."

"And how's the wasp?"

"Dead as a doornail"

This was going to be harder than I thought.

A little later, I sat at my desk getting read for the final day of the amusement park's season in august, when I heard my piano playing.

I got up and went to that room to see Erica playing.

"You play amazingly."

"Thank you. Raoul hates piano and sometimes it would make Momma cry for her angel, I think she was crying for you."

"That's the dream. Is this a song you wrote?"

"I call it Mystery. I think it could be a theme for a radio show one day."

"A scary one. It has a bit of darkness to it."

"Well I'm not scared of the dark."

I looked at her stitched up doll on the piano's back and said. "I can tell."

"I'm glad you're my papa and not Raoul."

I nodded and said. "I am too."

* * *

><p>my chapters are getting shorted but don't worry this won't last long, i just have a little writers block on how to approach an idea of mine. oh and that song she was playing, would one day be known as The Twilight Zone theme<p> 


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23. Letters.

Eric was so generous to let me and Erica stay at his house, and he let Martha stay at the hotel for absolutely free. And when we made love last night, it was heaven and hell at the same time, he can give me pleasure Raoul never could, and he could do so slow that it was torcher then speed up again, and he reached his peak before me but didn't stop like Raoul would. I can't believe I chose Raoul over Eric.

And Erica is very fond of him and has already started to call him Papa, and he doesn't complain about that little doll of hers and they enjoy each other's music (I just pray Erica doesn't find a copy of Don Juan).

And Eric gave me a letter from Raoul even though I could tell he desperately wanted to tear it up.

The letter read: _Christine I lost a bet that I would leave if you sang that night, so in a way this is both our faults I'm gone. I'll come back in the spring for you and Erica. Don't let that monster touch you or her._

I knew then I would have to tell Raoul the truth so I wrote him a letter: _Raoul, I must tell you that Erica is not you daughter but Eric's. From that night before our wedding. He didn't rape me that night, Raoul! I chose to be with him! Please forgive me if you can._

It was going to be a long winter…

* * *

><p>me: stupid writers block this is all i could come up with!<p>

Eric: she has a wonderful idea she just can't think of how to get to it.

me: why didn't they block this at school?

Eric: oh my god...


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24. Last Performance.

Papa is obsessed with music. I wrote a new song today and he insisted I play it for the closing show for the theme park, and maybe even when it opens again in the summer. Well, guess now's my 15 minutes of fame.

After Momma finished doting on me, and a bit of a fright from Martha and Papa telling me what it means to 'break a leg', I got to go on stage and play the piano!

I played the piano and sang. "Bimbo, Bimbo, where ya gonna go-e-o, Bimbo, Bimbo, whatcha gonna do-e-o, Bimbo, Bimbo, does your mommy know, that you're going down the road to see a little girl—e-o? Bimbo is a little boy who's got a million friends, and every time he passes by, they all invite him in. He'll clap his hands and sing and dance, and talk his baby talk. With a hole in his pants and his knees a-sticking out, he's just big enough to walk. Bimbo, Bimbo, where ya gonna go-e-o, Bimbo, Bimbo, whatcha gonna do-e-o, Bimbo, Bimbo, does your mommy know, that you're going' down the road to see a little girl-e-o? Bimbo's got two big blue eyes that light up like a star, and the way to light them up is to buy him candy bars! Crackerjacks and bubblegum will start his day off right, all the girlies follow him just a-begging' him for a bite. Bimbo, Bimbo, candy on your face-e-o, Bimbo, Bimbo, chewing' on your gum-e-o. Bimbo, Bimbo, when you gonna grow? Everybody loves you, little baby Bimbo! You never catch him sitting' still, he's just the roving' kind, although' he's just a little boy, he's got a grownup mind! He always got a shaggy dog a-pulling' at his clothes, and everybody calls to him as down the street he goes! Bimbo, Bimbo, where ya gonna go-e-o Bimbo, Bimbo, whatcha gonna do-e-o? Bimbo, Bimbo, does your mommy know that you're going' down the road to see a little girl-e-o?"

The crowd clapped for me and cheered and I ran off stage blushing.

"Oh Erica you were great!" Momma said.

"Like an angel." Papa said then held up his fingers a half inch apart and said. "That much more and the angels would be saying you sound like God."

I blushed and said. "I didn't get the high notes right."

"I taught your mother to sing, I could teach you to sing high notes."

He picked me up and spun me around. This was the best day of my life! Until a better day comes any way.

* * *

><p>ha until a better day comes! sill Erica<p>

and Eric's going to teach her to sing, goo idea or not?


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25. A Month After.

I can't believe my life now. For over a month I have woke up with Christine by my side, every so often we were concealed by nothing but a blanket, and when we dressed she would go wake up Erica and we would have eggs and toast before I had to run off to work (the season may be over, but there is still much the owner of an amusement park must do), then when I got back I could spend the rest of the day with them both, the spend the rest of the night with my Christine.

However, today was different.

I was working at my desk when I heard the door open, and Erica walked to me and said. "Momma had me bring your lunch."

"Thank you. Leave it on the table over there." I said not looking up from my work.

She walked over to the table and put the black lunch box down then said. "What is that you're doing?"

"Money management."

"Raoul loved money, but he spent too much." She said and walked to the door. "That's why Momma worked so much even though she wanted to quit."

I looked at her and said. "She what?"

"She wanted to quit and be a housewife or something."

I stood up, and even though I was nowhere near finished with my work, I dashed out the door to speak with Christine.

I found her cleaning the kitchen, and I pulled her away from the dirty dishes and said. "Christine why were you planning to quit the opera?"

"What are..." She began.

"Erica told me you were going to quite singing if The Boy ever stopped wasting your money."

"Oh Eric, I, it, it was Raoul's idea for me to quit, and the more I thought about it, the more I had to leave Erica to go to rehearsal, the more I wanted to, it was all too hard on me, that's why singers don't usually have families, Eric, it's too difficult to manage."

I turned away and said. "All my training you has gone to waist. You had such potential talent. And I ruined it when I deflowered you those seven years ago."

"Eric…"

"I'm not blaming you or Erica, and I'm not angry. I'm just, a little sad. I must go back to work."

"Eric I…"

"No Christine, it's your life, I have no power over you."

"Eric you need to listen to me…."

Before she could finish, I was gone.

I didn't go back to my workshop; instead I went to the docs and found Erica there throwing bits of bread in to the water to watch sea gulls scoop it up from the water, while Martha sat in a beach chair nearby.

"This bread's too hard; I can barely pinch it off." She said when I walked up to her.

"Let me try." I said and tried to pinch off some bread, to find it was a tough task, but I eventually broke some off and threw it to the water and a bird came down and took it before it hit the water.

"Won day I'm going to fly like a bird, or a bat for that matter."

"Oh really?"

"Yep, even if it takes me a million years, I'm going to build wings and fly as high as the birds, my children can help me when I get older. If they want to."

"Erica, you set your hopes sky high. Literally."

She pinched off some more bread and threw it out for the birds then said. "Darn stone bread. Papa, what's it like to be in love? Is it like in stories where you just want to kiss all day long?"

"Oh Erica…"I began. "It's that and more, when you love someone they way you speak of, you want to spend every moment with them, but you let them have the privacy they need. That part I was never good at. You also are willing to die for them if it means they get to live. I would go to the ends of the Earth for your mother and bring her back the finest jewels and trinkets. I love her with all my heart and I have for a long time. But when you love someone, you let them go, no matter how painful it is, you let then prefill their dreams and make sure they're safe, even if it means you can't stay with them."

"Is that what happen with Momma and Raoul? You let her go off with him?"

"Biggest mistake of my life, but yes. I did twice, once when Christine was just starting her career, and another time right before you came along."

She hugged me and said. "You shouldn't have the last time."

"No, I shouldn't have." I said and put my arm around her shoulder.

"Papa?"

"Yes?"

"How did I come along?"

Oh mother of hell….


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26. Schooling.

Growing up in France, I know how to speak French and English, but that is not a reason for Momma to send me to school. Papa didn't seem to like it either, but if he put up a fight, I wasn't in the room.

But now I'm sitting in a chair outside the principal's office while Momma spoke to him, when he walked out and said. "Good morning Erica, I'm Mr. Kent. I'm going to show you to your new class."

"Yes sir." I said standing up, and then Momma came and took my hand as Mr. Kent walked us down the hall and up some stairs to open a door to a class room with a red headed lady teacher and about 19 kids.

"Ms. Slim, this is Erica Parmar."

Momma let go of my hand and I stepped into the room and smiled, then frowned seeing the teacher had a big mole on her nose.

"Good morning Erica, you can sit right thereby Carl and Alice." Ms. Slim said and pointed to an empty desk between a red headed boy and a brown haired girl.

I looked at momma who nodded then I went and sat down.

"I'm Alice." The girl said.

"I'm Carl Junior. You can call me Carl." The boy said.

"I'm Erica. With a 'C' not a 'K'. It's nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Why did your mom come with you?" Alice asked. "My dad asked if I wanted him to come but I said I'd be fine."

"My momma's worried I'll have problems because someone tried to kill me this summer."

"Why would someone do that?" Carl asked.

"Because Papa owed him a lot of money for burning down and opera house."

"Who's your Papa?"

"Mr. E. The owner of the Coney Island amusement park."

They all got quiet then Alice said. "That's your dad?"

"Yep."

"Does he really where a mask?" Carl asked.

"Yep. He uses to hide his deformity."

"What deformity?" Alice asked.

"He was born with an odd looking face."

"How odd?" Carl asked.

"In nice words I can say about my dad's looks, pig snouts and deep eyes."

"He must give you nightmares when he takes his mask off." Alice said.

"He hardly ever takes his mask off and I don't get nightmares about it. I do however get bad dreams about cages…"

"You're weird." Carl said. "You'll fit in with us kid."

I had friends for the 1st tiem in my life that weren't Momma or Angel…


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27. Children and Return.

Christine woke up this morning like she has for the past few weeks. The first thing she did was run to the restroom and get sick. Then one day she ran to Eric and said. "Angel, I'm having a baby."

Eric looked up from his desk and said. "What?"

"I'm pregnant."

Eric turned to face her then said. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Is it Raoul…."

"Eric he won't admit it but Raoul can't have children."

Eric took his wig off then said. "Oh lord. What have I done? He's going to go insane!

"Eric he'll…"

"Christine he won't be so generous this time, he won't allow you to keep the child, he'll take you away from me!"

"Eric…."

"Christine, I'm not the blood thirsty phantom I was in France, but if he tries anything to harm you or Erica or this child, I will kill him."

"He won't be back till next spring. It's not even winter yet I don't think we have to worry about that just yet…."

Just then there was a pounding on the door, and Raoul's voice rang out. "Christine!"

Eric pulled Christine behind him and said. "You were saying?"

* * *

><p>just when you thought they were a family...<p>

sorry short chapter, i don't have much time at the moment to write due to finals. the next one will be longer.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28. Not the Villain.

Christine pushed me aside then said. "I'll answer the door if you're going to be a coward."

"Christine…" I began but she had opened the door.

The Fool Boy grabbed her and spun her around then said. "Christine! My Dear Christine! I'm so sorry I left! I was foolish!"

"Raoul!" Christine said. "Put me down before I get sick!"

He put her down and said. "I can't believe I left you! get your things at once and we will leave this bloody country and return home!"

"I can't just yet…Erica started school here and Eric…."

"Dear lord he has you under his spell again! Christine I promise you'll never have to see him again! I'll stop drinking, I'll stop making bets and I'll even stop pestering Erica about her bloody piano!"

Speak of the devil, Erica walked up to me and said. "Oh no he's back! Papa I don't want him to make me leave!"

"I won't let him take you." I said and picked her up.

"He threw Angel in the river, and I jumped in after her so he made me go to my room and not come out and I got sick, and he just kept of gambling and drinking as if I weren't even alive. And he yells at me every time I play the piano. He doesn't hurt me but I can tell he wants to."

I kissed her head then heard Raoul shout. "You're what?"

We looked at them both as Christine said. "Raoul I…"

"Christine you let him put you under his spell with the same result as last time! I can't believe you actually had sex with that demon!"

Erica looked at me and said. "Did he just say…."

"Pretend you didn't hear it. Wait how do you even know that?"

"I don't. I just know it's a bad word."

"Good."

"Papa can you take me to school now?"

"Get your things."

She nodded then I put her down and she ran to her room.

I stepped into the living room and said. "Is there a problem here?"

The Fool Boy looked at me said. "You monster!"

"Oh I'm the monster? You scare the child you believed were yours and you're calling me the monster?"

He took his knife out and ran at me, but I stepped out of the way and he ran into the wall, getting his knife stuck in the wall.

"Oh now I have to get someone to fix that!" I said. "More things to keep me from Christine and Erica."

He tried to pull his knife out but it was stuck, so he decided to leave it then tried to run at me again, but I stepped out of the way again and tripped him, causing him to fall onto the table.

"Stop it both of you!" Christine said then pulled Raoul up and shoved him out the door and said. "I'll speak to you later."

"Christine…" He began but Christine closed the door.

She looked at me and said. "Oh Eric must you behave like that?"

"What did I do?" I said.

Erica walked out and said. "I'm ready for school."

"I'll speak with you later." Christine said. "It's your turn to walk Erica to school and I'm going to talk with Raoul."

"The Fool Boy." Erica said.

I looked at her then at Christine and said. "I swear I did not know she would repeat after me."

"Just go!" Christine said and opened the door, The Fool Boy was gone.

Erica and I walked out the door.


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29. Walk and Talk.

Raoul's back. I can't believe Raoul's back. He's never hurt me, but he wants to. I know he does, even when he thought I was his daughter he did.

"Papa?" I said looking up at him.

"Yes Erica?" He said looking down at me. I just then realized how tall he was.

"You and Mama met in Paris right?"

"Um, yes. We did meet there."

"Why did you leave?"

He stopped then got down on his knee and said. "Erica, have you ever heard of The Phantom of the Opera?"

"I think so. Raoul doesn't want me to know it."

"He was a bad man who was never loved because he was ugly, he murdered people and kidnapped the woman he loved thinking that would make her love him. He was a trickster and a mad man and he is the most wanted man in Pairs, so when that woman he loved left him, he left Paris. The woman came back to say goodbye and they ended up having a baby, but he left her wanting her to have a better life then he could offer her. That man was me. That woman was your mother. And that baby was you."

I stared into his eyes and said. "You did all that? Because no one loved you?"

He nodded and said. "Even god has his regrets."

I flicked his nose and said. "You better not go back to that! I need you and momma needs you just as much as you need us so don't get yourself arrested."

"You're not afraid? Even with knowing I'm a murderer?"

"You're going to church tomorrow…"


	31. Chapter 30 dad and erikphans, don't read

Erik lovers please don't kill me for this chapter! I couldn't think of anything! and raoul fans and cleverbots, the power of god keeps you away

* * *

><p>Chapter 30. Raoul.<p>

My husband is back and yet I am not pleased about it. I should be, but I'm not. I need to talk with him but I don't really want to. He's kind of like that person who pretends to be your friend then talks about you behind your back.

But I have to talk to him, so here am in his hotel room staring down at my cup of tea and he just stared coldly at me.

"Raoul," I began, breaking the silence. "I didn't think you were coming back…"

"So you let that monster take advantage of you..." He started.

"Eric has changed now. He's not The Phantom anymore. He's a new person."

"Christine how could you even look at that thing? It's an abomination to humanity to call him a man!"

"Eric's more a man then you'll ever be! He loves me and Erica and we love him back!"

He stood up and said. "He tried to kill me!"

I stood up and said. "But he let us go! That's probably what made him change!"

Then he kissed me like he always dose to stop a fight he knows I will win, and after more kissing and undressing we fell onto the bed together

"Christine!" He called between. "Say my name Christine!"

"Raoul, my love." I regret saying as he slid into me, then I gasped and shout. "Oh Raoul!"

"I'm better than that monster, aren't I Christine?"

"Raoul…"

"Admit it Christine! I'm a world better than him!"

When I didn't answer that was when he gripped my wrists and held them over my head, he held them so hard it hurt, then he began nipping at me. If he meant this to be playful it wasn't.

"Raoul…"

Then he hit his peek, long before mine, and instead of continuing until I felt it like Eric would, he just got off and went to the bathroom.

I wiped away a tear then began to dress as I heard Raoul start to shower. He never did like to look at me after making love.

When I dressed I called to him. "I have to go I'm late for something! I'll meet you here tomorrow!"

"Alright Christine!" He called then I ran out.

* * *

><p>don't kill me...<p> 


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31. Nevermore.

My little Erica sat at the dinner table waiting for her mother, while I paced the floor, when Christine walked in, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

"Momma?" Erica said.

"Erica, go to your room please." Christine said and Erica did.

"Christine what happen?" I asked.

"Angel, I went and spoke to Raoul…"

"Oh god did he hurt you? I'll kill him if he…"

"Eric there was just an argument."

I took her hand in mine then said. "Then why do you have marks as if someone twisted your wrist?"

Silence.

"Christine what happen?"

"I went to bed with him."

I pulled away from her and said. "You've chosen the boy again."

"No Eric, I never want to go through that again! Raoul has an idea of what a wife should be and he's disappointed that I'm not. I never want to see him again."

"And you won't." I said and I went into my work room.

After working for hours I heard the door open and Erica walked in.

"Momma says it's time for dinner. We're having soup."

"Tell her I'm not hungry."

"Are you mad at her?"

"It's none of your concern. Now let me work."

She kissed my head then left the room.

I was just starting to get deep in my work again when I heard a crash Christine scream Erica's name.

I ran out to the kitchen to see a mess of soup and broken bowl on the floor and Christine bent over to clean it, while Erica stood in the corner.

"Erica what were you thinking? You just threw the thing down!"

"What happen?" I said.

"Erica threw her bowl and made a mess."

I looked at Erica and said. "Erica why did you throw your soup?"

"Got you to come out of that room." She stated then turned back to the corner.

"Good lord child!"

"She's too much like you…" Christine said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She's your daughter for sure."

"I'm going back to work…"

Suddenly Erica made another dish break.

"That's it!" Christine shouted. "To your room!"

"Fine." Erica said and left.

"Dear lord what has gotten into that girl…"

"Christine please calm yourself."

"Don't tell me to calm down! If you had just came out for dinner she wouldn't have done that!"

"Christine I you hadn't gone to see that boy of yours I wouldn't have been so upset!"

The next thing I knew was a stinging pain in my face and my mask was on the ground.

Christine stared at me surprised that she had hit me and said. "Eric…"

"Well, it seems the monster has lost his good treasure again." I said.

"Eric I'm sorry…"

Before she could finish, I left the room.


	33. i hate the goverment

Co- I AM SO SORRY BUT THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! IT'S EVEN BIGGER!

LOOK, I KNOW IM TALKING IN CAPS, BUT THAT'S CUZ IT SO IMPORTANT! THIS IS NOT A HAPPY THING EITHER!

OUR SITE IS BEING THREATENED! THIS BILL OR WHATEVER WILL PASS ON THE 24 OF JANUARY IF WE DON'T ACT!

AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT! DON'T FORGET, IT'S OUR SITE! WE NEED AS MUCH HELP AS WE CAN GRAB! COPY AND PASTE THIS TEXT TO WORD, POST THIS AS A CHAPTER TO ALL OF YOUR STORIES, AND WE'LL GET THE WORD OUT SOON! AND THANK YOU XXDARKXBLOODXX FOR TELLING ME THIS!

(Don't copy this) Look, I'll calm down, but don't expect me to bow down before this government guy who decided to take our site, and prolly a lot of other things, away. I don't know about you, but this site is extremely important to me, and prolly to a lot of other people to. So please, do your fellow fanfictioners a favor and CALL YOUR REPS NOW!

This content has been found in violation of H.R. 3261 S.O.P.A. and has been removed.-

Every story on this site if SOPA and PIPA pass Congress.

So, there's a bill in Congress called PIPA.

If passed (and at this rate, they'll probably be), they would let the government basically go apeshit on internet content and censor it.

This means that would be completely and utterly SHUT DOWN.

This congressional jackassery will commence on January 24th! If you wish to preserve not only this site, but your liberty, call your state senators! I'll just leave this list of their phone numbers at the bottom.

Think, guys- is over TWO MILLION MEMBERS strong! If we all called up these guys, then there would be absolutely NO WAY THIS MALARKEY WOULD SQUEEZE THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT'S ASSCHEEKS!

So call your senators today and tell them to vote against PIPA! We can do this! If you see this, put something in a new chapter of an existing story! Spread the word!

AL, Jefferson Sessions, 334-244-7017

AL, Richard Shelby, 205-759-5047

AR, John Boozman, 479-725-0400

AR, Mark Pryor, 501-324-6336

AZ, Jon Kyl, 602-840-1891

AZ, John McCain, 602-952-2410

CA, Barbara Boxer, 510-286-8537

CA, Dianne Feinstein, 415-393-0707

CO, Michael Bennet, 303-455-7600

CT, Richard Blumenthal, 860-258-6940

CT, Joseph Lieberman, 860-549-8463

DE, Thomas Carper, 302-573-6291

DE, Chris Coons, 302-573-6345

FL, Bill Nelson, 407-872-7161

FL, Marco Rubio, 305-418-8553

GA, C. Saxby Chambliss, 770-763-9090

GA, John Isakson, 770-661-0999

HI, Daniel Akaka, 808-522-8970

HI, Daniel Inouye, 808-541-2542

IA, Charles Grassley, 515-288-1145

IA, Thomas Harkin, 515-284-4574

ID, Michael Crapo, 208-334-1776

ID, James Risch, 208-342-7985

IL, Richard Durbin, 312-353-4952

IL, Mark Kirk, 312-886-3506

IN, Daniel Coats, 317-554-0750

IN, Richard Lugar, 317-226-5555

KS, Pat Roberts, 913-451-9343

KY, Mitch McConnell, 502-582-6304

KY, Rob Portman, 361-576-1231

LA, Mary Landrieu, 225-389-0395

LA, David Vitter, 337-262-6898

MA, Scott Brown, 617-565-3170

MA, John Kerry, 617-565-8519

MD, Barbara Mikulski, 410-962-4510

ME, Susan Collins, 207-945-0417

ME, Olympia Snowe, 207-874-0883

MI, Carl Levin, 313-226-6020

MI, Debbie Stabenow, 517-203-1760

MN, Al Franken, 651-221-1016

MN, Amy Klobuchar, 612-727-5220

MO, Roy Blunt, 816-471-7141

MO, Claire McCaskill, 816-421-1639

MS, Thad Cochran, 601-965-4459

MS, Roger Wicker, 601-965-4644

MT, Max Baucus, 406-657-6790

MT, Jon Tester, 406-449-5401

NC, Richard Burr, 910-251-1058

NC, Kay Hagan, 336-333-5311

ND, Kent Conrad, 701-258-4648

ND, John Hoeven, 701-250-4618

NE, Mike Johanns, 308-632-6032

NE, E. Benjamin Nelson, 402-441-4600

NH, Kelly Ayotte, 603-622-7979

NH, Jeanne Shaheen, 603-647-7500

NJ, Frank Lautenberg, 973-639-8700

NJ, Robert Menendez, 973-645-3030

NM, Jeff Bingaman, 505-346-6601

NM, Tom Udall, 505-346-6791

NV, Dean Heller, 775-686-5770

NV, Harry Reid, 702-388-5020

NY, Kirsten Gillibrand, 212-688-6262

NY, Charles Schumer, 212-486-4430

OH, Sherrod Brown, 216-522-7272

OK, James Inhofe, 918-748-5111

OK, Tom Coburn, 918-581-7651

OR, Jeffery Merkley, 503-326-3386

PA, Robert Casey, 570-941-0930

PA, Pat Toomey, 610-434-1444

RI, John Reed, 401-943-3100

RI, Sheldon Whitehouse, 401-453-5294

SC, Jim DeMint, 864-233-5366

SC, Lindsey Graham, 864-250-1417

SD, Tim Johnson, 414-276-7282

SD, John Thune, 605-334-9596

TN, Lamar Alexander, 615-736-5129

TN, Bob Corker, 423-756-2757

TX, John Cornyn, 512-469-6034

TX, Kay Hutchison, 214-361-3500

UT, Orrin Hatch, 801-524-4380

UT, Mike Lee, 801-524-5933

VA, Mark Warner, 804-775-2314

VA, James Webb, 804-771-2221

VT, Patrick Leahy, 802-863-2525

VT, Bernard Sanders, 802-862-0697

WA, Patty Murray, 206-553-5545

WI, Ron Johnson, 605-332-8896

WI, Herbert Kohl, 414-297-4451

WV, Joe Manchin, 304-342-5855

WV, John Rockefeller, 304-347-5372

WY, John Barrasso, 307-261-6413

WY, Michael Enzi, 307-682-6268


	34. Chapter 32

Chapter 32. Over.

Church. Eric has never gone there, for he felt no reason to worship the being that gave him his curse of a face, yet here he was, sitting in front of the alter.

"What am I doing here?" He said and walked out.

He went walking on the beach, watching as the last birds went south for winter, sun low in the sky.

"Monster!" A voice said, and he turned around to see Raoul, but kept walking. He wasn't in the mood for this.

But Raoul had other plans.

"Don't walk away from me!"

"Please," Eric said. "I'm drowning in enough sorrow without you here."

"Bastard!" Raoul shouted running up behind him. "You expect me to pity you and leave? Well, I might just leave and take Christine with me then!"

Eric snapped and turned around and smacked him, suddenly realizing that up on the pier above, Erica and Christine watched in horror.

Eric would have stopped the fight right then, but Raoul spit a tooth out and dug it into Eric's neck, and in return, Eric pushed him against the pillar of the pier and began to strangle him.

"Eric no!" Christine shouted, running from the pier to the sand dunes, while Erica was being dragged behind.

He then realized what was happening, he was becoming The Phantom again, and not wanting to go back to that man, Eric let go of Raoul and began to walk towards Christine and Erica.

But Raoul didn't know what was good for him, and he attacked Eric, grabbing onto his neck digging his fingernails into Eric's larynx.

Eric tried to pulls Raoul off, but that just made The Fool's fingers go deeper, until Eric turned around trying to flip Raoul off him.

It didn't work, but suddenly Raoul fell limp, and dropped off.

Eric turned around to see Erica holding a bat, and Raoul's body on the ground. Erica, not even knowing you couldn't live from a broken neck, had killed him.

* * *

><p>didn't see that coming did you? well all that's left is the prolog, and i'll be working on other phantom stories, hope you enjoyed!<p> 


	35. Epilog

Epilog.

After all that was sorted out with the authorities, they tried to forget it ever happened, and after a few months, Eric and Christine were married, then had two twin boys, Gustave and Pierre then a year later a girl named Louise who was deformed like Eric.

Christine became a star on Broadway, and Eric and Louise went on to teach the world about deformities with a man with four arms and a dog with two paws on one leg. Eric never wore a mask again.

Gustave and Pierre took over the amusement park when they turned nineteen, and Erica married a man who took place in the death of Hitler.

Erica had two daughters, and the youngest got married and had three children, and their only son got married and had a daughter named…

"Scotie wake up the ball rang!" Kate said to me. Darn it I was just having that dream again….

"I was having that dream again." I said. "You know where I was related to…"

"Yeah, yeah The Phantom of the Opera and all that. It wasn't real!"

"Yes it was, no one could come up with a story that awesome without it being based off something true!"

"In the first one he died from a broken heart a virgin. It is not possible to die from a broken heart."

"Broken heart syndrome, look it up. And how would they know if he were virgin or not? They watched?"

"Perverts."

"Whatever…."

After that and a long bus ride, I was home, I fed my dogs, said hi to the masked man in the coat closet and…wait what?

I went back to the closet, opened the door and there was nothing there.

"Weird. I could have sworn…." Suddenly there was a loud crash.

I ran to the kitchen to see the masked man, just about see threw, standing there, trying to pick up a pot that went through his hands.

"Holy….."


End file.
